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TV Time: New Girl 2.18

Two-Sentence Summary Nick and Schmidt celebrate their 10th anniversary as roommates with an elaborate party that goes anything but according to plan when Shivrang uses to occasion to propose to Cece. Jess tries to push her feeling for Nick away by dating a professional football player who’s open with his feelings…but he might be a little too open.

Favorite LinesSchmidt: It’s just really disappointing when things don’t work out the way you thought they would, you know?Nick: I do.

Episode M.V.P. Schmidt and Nick. This was an episode about their friendship, and it resonated so strongly because both Jake Johnson and Max Greenfield were so good at balancing the comedy and the drama of this episode. I love any flashbacks to college Nick and Schmidt, and the end of this episode featured what might be my favorite flashback yet. Johnson and Greenfield have great comedic chemistry; they banter with a speed and ease that’s not usually seen between two male characters. I loved both of their moments of sheer ridiculousness in this episode (especially with the porta potty), but what I loved most were their quieter, more emotional moments. Both actors really sold their respective heartbreaks, making them “Equals!” again, but not in the kind of way either of them would want. Greenfield was especially devastating in the seconds after Cece accepted Shivrang’s proposal. Their scenes alone after the proposal were the strongest in this episode in terms of their depth. I genuinely believe their friendship; it’s flawed and dysfunctional, but it’s real and full of a kind of love that’s not flowery or overly sentimental but is strong enough to last for 10 years.

Favorite Moment: I know New Girl is a comedy, but I think the dramatic talents of these actors should be recognized. My favorite moment this week was less of a singular moment and more of a pattern throughout the episode of broad comedy being balanced with heartfelt emotional beats. That has become one of New Girl‘s calling cards—its ability to make you laugh and then stop you in your tracks with a moment of genuine emotion. In this episode, I was especially struck by Greenfield’s delivery of Schmidt’s line about things not going according to plan. Gone was the overly confident mask and instead we see him show Nick the vulnerable, broken side of himself. I was also floored by Johnson’s face when Jess tells Nick that she likes men who are open about their feelings. You can feel the whole mood of the scene shift with one heartbroken look.

A New Girl GIF* For My New Girl Feelings

I thought this was supposed to be a fun, fluffy sitcom! How dare it suddenly make me have so many feelings! I just want the couples I root for to be happy, but I do love the storytelling and acting this angst is bringing out of the cast. While this was probably my least favorite episode since before “Cooler,” it was still a surprisingly emotional examination of most of the central relationships on this show, especially one that always deserves more screen time: Schmidt and Nick.

*I have no talent for GIF-making. Thankfully, I am highly skilled at searching Tumblr for the best GIFs. I take no credit for this beauty.

2 thoughts on “TV Time: New Girl 2.18”

I agree! I think what this show has always done best is friendship. Nick and Schmidt are great.
Someone somewhere on tumblr pointed out Jess biting her lip in that scene about wanting a man who talks about his feelings says a lot – that what she really wants is for Nick to be the kind of guy who talks about his feelings… as she told Cece at the beginning. She wishes she knew what he was thinking. I am loving the writing and the acting on this show!

I definitely agree about Jess wanting Nick to be someone who talks about his feelings, and what I find interesting is that he’s actually been doing more of this than I think Jess even realized at that point. Between him telling her in the Christmas episode that she’s the kind of girl a guy would come back for, telling her in “Fluffer” that he’s attracted to her, and finally, in “Parking Spot” when he tells her why he made the no-nail oath and that he doesn’t regret kissing her, I think Nick has been surprisingly open about his feelings for her…even more than Jess has been. I love that he’s turning into a more open person simply because of his feelings for Jess.